URBANBEES - Urban bee biodiversity action plans LIFE08 NAT/F/000478 Project description Environmental issues Beneficiaries Administrative data Read more Contact details: Project Manager: Charlotte VISAGE Tel: +33 4 72 57 92 78 Fax: +33 4 32 72 20 72 Email: charlotte.visage@avignon.inra.fr; Project description: Background Around 2 500 species of bee are found in Europe but this number is decreasing and moreover population sizes are also declining (Biesmiejer et al. 2006 Science 313:351-354). Nevertheless, the pollination service provided by these insects is essential for nearly 80% of the EU s wild flora and 70% of the crops grown, with an economic impact estimated at 14.2 billion for the EU-25 in 2005 (Gallai et al. 2009 Ecol. Econ. 68:810-829). Recent research has shown that urban habitats can host some wild bee species (Matteson et al. 2008 Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 101:140-150) and they might therefore play a role as temporary or permanent refuge for some animal and plant species. Objectives The URBANBEES project aimed to enhance the biodiversity of wild bees in urban habitats in Europe. To achieve this goal, it planned to: Develop and validate an action plan, which consists of the testing of specific nesting devices and appropriate management methods in parks and recreation areas that are replicable in other European cities ; Disseminate this action plan throughout Europe (20 cities); Increase favourable habitats for wild bee populations by integrating the network of biological corridors and reducing the genetic isolation of bee
populations (on study sites covering 8000 m2, with extension to the remaining areas of the partner cities and beyond); Change conventional management practices for parks and recreation areas in urban habitats to favour the return and re-establishment of indigenous plant and animal species and fight against alien species ( 10 volunteer cities in the Grand Lyon area); and Raise public awareness in Europe for biodiversity by emphasising the ecological and economic importance of bees, reaching more than 200 000 people through direct actions. The project target area was the territory of Grand Lyon, which has around 1.3 million inhabitants. Results The URBANBEES project created a total surface area of 883 m² dedicated to wild bees on its 16 project sites. It also established 2 000 m² of meadow in support of wild bees. Moreover, its research findings 309 bee species out of 950 found in France were identified in the greater Lyon area during the course of the project informed the drawing up of a national action plan for pollinating insects. One of the main outcomes of the project was the production in French and in English of a management guide for favouring the conservation of wild bees and of nature in towns. This action was complemented by the development of several valuable documents and toolkits, which demonstrate the value of the conservation of wild bees. The project demonstrated that even artificial surfaces can host wild bees, which had not been formally recognised until the project. Furthermore, it showed that wild bee habitats can be improved through the use of very cheap and simple equipment. The bee walls established during the project to aid nesting require little maintenance and will remain in place for a least five more years. Other nesting equipment is expected to be introduced in the future to ensure the continuation of the project goals. The project also achieved its objective of increasing the awareness of the local population about wild bees and of their significant pollinating role. Several exhibitions were developed and shown in the Greater Lyon area as well as in other French and European cities. They attracted around 159 000 visitors in Europe (16 300 visitors in France). Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report and After-LIFE Communication Plan (see "Read more" section). Environmental issues addressed: Themes Biodiversity issues - Ecological coherence
Biodiversity issues - Urban biodiversity Information - Governance - Awareness raising - Information Species - Invertebrates Keywords environmental education biodiversity environmental awareness urban area nature conservation green space management plan Target EU Legislation Nature protection and Biodiversity COM(2011) 244 final Our life insurance, our natural capital: an EU biodiversity strategy to 2020... Target Habitat types 02 - Specific (i.e.for technical reasons or specific issue) Natura 2000 sites SCI FR8201639 STEPPES DE LA VALBONNE Beneficiaries: Coordinator Type of organisation Description Partners Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique Research institution INRA the National Institute for Agronomic Research - is a national public research institution in the fields of food, agriculture and the environment. It has a research unit devoted to bees in Avignon: UMR 406 Abeilles & Environnement. Ville de Villeurbanne, France National History Museum of London, United Kingdom Association ARTHROPOLOGIA, France Ville de Lyon, France Centre de la Culture Scientifique, Technique et Industrielle, France
Administrative data: Project reference LIFE08 NAT/F/000478 Duration 01-JAN-2010 to 31-MAR -2015 Total budget 2,171,842.00 EU contribution 1,084,196.00 Project location Rhône-Alpes(France) Provence-Alpes-Côte d' Azur(France) Read more: Leaflet Title: "Projet Européen LIFE+ Biodiversité URBANBEES"(421 KB) Year: 2003 No of pages: 3 Leaflet Title: "Les abeilles sauvages... prennent leurs quartiers en ville" No of pages: 2 Leaflet Title: "La ville et ses abeilles" (dossier de présentation) Author: Charlotte Visage et al. Year: 2011 No of pages: 8 Leaflet: Guidelines-Manual Title: "Formation Urbanbees - Sauvegarde des pollinisateurs en milieux agricoles et semi-naturels" No of pages: 3 Leaflet: Guidelines-Manual Title: "Formation Urbanbees - Sauvegarde des pollinisateurs: nidification et reproduction" Editor: Arthropologia No of pages: 3 Press article Title: "Des hôtels à abeilles urbains et citoyens : URBANBEES - La ville et ses abeilles" (953 KB) Author: Nicolas Césard, Hugues Mouret et Bernard Vaissière Year: 2014 Editor: Insectes No of pages: 5 Press article Title: "Favoriser une appétence écologique : Volet psychosocial du programme Urbanbees" (374 KB) Author: Morgan Clément Year: 2015 Editor: Le courrier de la nature No of pages: 6 Press article Title: "Revue de presse : URBANBEES" (15.5 MB) Year: 2014 Editor: Arthropologia No of pages: 111 Project web site Project's website Project web site Facebook of the project Project web site - 2 Project's pedagogical folder Project web site - 2 Project's Twitter page Publication: After-LIFE Title: After-LIFE Communication Plan Communication Plan Year: 2014 Editor: INRA PACA, ARTHROPOLOGIA No of pages: 7
Publication: Article-Paper Title: "Et si urbanisation et biodiversité pouvaient faire bon ménage?" Author: Laura Fortel et al Year: 2014 Editor: PLOS ONE No of pages: 2 Publication: Article-Paper Title: "Decreasing Abundance, Increasing Diversity and Changing Structure of the Wild Bee Community (Hymenoptera: Anthophila) along an Urbanization Gradient" (PLOS ONE, Volume 9 Issue 8 e104679) Author: Laura Fortel et al Year: 2014 Editor: PLOS ONE No of pages: 12 Publication: Article-Paper Title: "Could urbanisation and biodiversity be compatible?" Author: Laura Fortel et al Year: 2014 Editor: PLOS ONE No of pages: 2 Publication: Case study Title: "Les abeilles sauvages s'invitent en ville : retours sur le programme URBANBEES" (7.08 MB) Author: Clara Coupey Year: 2014 Editor: Arthropologia, INRA No of pages: 72 Publication: Guidelines-Manual Title: "Les hôtels Urbanbees - Modèle pour balcons et jardins" No of pages: 2 Publication: Guidelines-Manual Title: "Les hôtels Urbanbees - Modèle pour jardins" No of pages: 2 Publication: Guidelines-Manual Title: "Bee house : Small model for balconies and gardens" (1.18MB) Editor: Arthropologia No of pages: 2 Publication: Guidelines-Manual Title: "Spirale à aromatiques" (917KB) Editor: Arthropologia No of pages: 2 Publication: Guidelines-Manual Title: "Hôtel : Bee hotel model with 3 boxes" (5.96MB) Editor: Arthropologia No of pages: 6 Publication: Guidelines-Manual Title: "Bee house : Model for gardens" (1.21MB) Editor: Arthropologia No of pages: 2 Publication: Guidelines-Manual Title: "Urbanbees: Hôtels à Abeilles - Mode d emploi" (8 MB) No of pages: 6 Publication: Guidelines-Manual Title: "Favoriser les abeilles sauvages et la nature en ville : guide de gestion écologique des espaces verts urbains et périurbains" (27.5 MB) Author: Clara Coupey, Charlotte Visage Year: 2014 Editor: Arthropologia, INRA No of pages: 132 Publication: Layman report Title: Layman report Author: Clara COUPEY Year: 2014 Editor: INRA PACA, ARTHROPOLOGIA No of pages: 36 Publication: Management plan Title: "A Guide to Ecological Green Space Management in Urban and Peri-urban Areas : Helping wild bees and nature find a home in the city" (24.1 MB) Author: Clara COUPEY,...[et al] Year: 2015 No of pages: 65 Publication: Pedagogical tool Title: Project's game for children (14.3MB) Editor: Urbanbees
Publication: Pedagogical tool Title: Coloriage (908KB) Year: 2014 No of pages: 1 Publication: Pedagogical tool Title: "Dossier pédagogique : Sauvegarde de la diversité des abeilles sauvages en milieux urbains et périurbains" (21.1 MB) Year: 2014 Editor: Arthropologia No of pages: 58 Publication: Pedagogical tool Title: "Les nichoirs urbanbbees : modèle triangulaire pour balcons et jardins" (1.13MB) Editor: Arthropologia No of pages: 2 Publication: Pedagogical tool Title: Interventions en milieu scolaire. (351KB) Year: 2014 No of pages: 10 Publication: Pedagogical tool Title: Fiche d'activité (1.63MB) Year: 2014 No of pages: 2 Publication: Pedagogical tool Title: Coloriage abeilles (1.31MB) Year: 2014 No of pages: 2 Publication: Technical report Title: Project's Final technical report Year: 2015 Editor: INRA No of pages: 174 Publication: Thesis Title: "Ecologie et conservation des abeilles sauvages le long d'un gradient d'urbanisation" (13.9 MB) Author: Laura Fortel Year: 2014 Editor: Université d'avignon et des pays du Vaucluse. Eco No of pages: 210 Project description Environmental issues Beneficiaries Administrative data Read more